Future Shock
by catburglar93
Summary: The Republic has fallen. The Jedi are extinct. But, despite having accomplished all of his goals, Darth Vader is lonely. His solution: travel back in time to fix what went wrong. The problem is that instead of sending him back to before the fall of the Republic, the machine he uses sends him to the future, where he meets a mysterious girl who can use the force on the planet Jakku.
1. Jakku

**A/N: I've fleshed this chapter so that Chapter 2 will make more sense when I post it. I'm glad some people like this idea I came up with; I just couldn't resist after watching the new Star Wars (which has a few problems, but is still leagues better than the prequels). Anyway, I promise that the central time travel plot will begin starting next chapter. I didn't want to rush into it without first establishing a history though. Thanks to everyone who followed and reviewed.**

 **-Catburglar93**

Ten years.

That was how much time had passed since the fall of the Old Republic. Anakin Skywalker, now known to the galaxy as Darth Vader, stared out the window of his imperial cruiser and reflected on the past decade.

The Clone Wars had ended. The Jedi were extinct. He had played a part in both.

The eradication of the Jedi, the family he had always dreamed of as a child, had been hard on him, but necessary. For the greater good; or so he had told himself as he personally killed the last of the Jedi, his master Obi-Wan Kenobi on the desert planet Tatooine. In his last moments, Obi-Wan had asked him if he was at peace with the choices he had made in his life. He had dismissed the question at the time as the last ramblings of a dying man, but later it had given him pause.

The rise of the Empire had indeed harkened in a new era of peace and prosperity for the galaxy. That was undeniable. Whispers of rebellion had been universally squashed before having time to develop into something more, and overall, galactic stablity had been restored to that of the time before the Clone Wars.

But was he, Anakin Skywalker, the boy from Tatooine, happy with the choices he had made?

When he had turned to the Dark Side, he was convinced that it was the only way to bring about peace to the galaxy and save his wife, Padme, from dying. But now his wife was dead, and Darth Vader found himself tired of constantly fighting off the whispers of rebellion that arose every few years in his new Empire. In a galaxy without force sensitives, his only companion was the Emperor Palpatine, a man whose sole interest was the acquisition of power and whose biggest fear was losing said power.

Vader, for lack of a better term, was lonely. He had no one to talk to. He missed his old life - not the politics of the Jedi council, or the ineffectiveness of the Republic, but the comradery he had felt being part of both.

And so he found himself traveling to the planet Jakku. A planet very similar to his own homeworld, Tatooine, but with something he had been searching for for a long time, an ancient artifact that many scholars believed to be nothing more than a myth.

* * *

For weeks he scoured the desert planet fruitlessly, wondering if perhaps he had been mistaken about the machine's existence. As the days wore on under the hot Jakkun sun, he became increasingly frustrated at his lack of progress. Time was running out - the Emperor would surely inquire as to his absence.

One week passed, and then two.

With the dawn of the third week, Vader was beginning to suspect that he had been led on a fool's mission after all. Could a machine that gave the user the power to travel back in time really exist? The concept of time travel itself was absurd to anyone who had a basic understanding of how the universe worked. Time always moved forward - not back; even the Force could not change that.

But there was a lingering doubt in the back of his mind - he had to be sure. _For Padme_ , for the friends he had lost in the war.

And then, almost as if in response to his doubt, the universe gave him a sign. In the dead of night, he spotted a man and a Wookiee making their way into one of Jakku's many cantinas. It was almost like the set-up of a bad joke.

 _Man and Wookiee walk into a bar._

 _Bartender says, "There's a Sith Lord behind you."_

 _They turn around. Die._

Well, it was funny to Vader at least.

He decided to investigate. They were an unusual pair, to be sure.

* * *

"Can you believe it, Chewie? Who would've thought that we'd find an ancient Sith burial ground on a heap of sand like this?"

" _Roooarrgh!"_ The Wookiee responded with contentment.

He had been observing the two for half an hour. A steady supply of drinks had made their tongues slippery.

How ironic, he would later reflect, that after all of the time and effort spent searching for such a burial ground on Jakku, two baffoons from off-planet would come across it by sheer happenstance.

"The artifacts on that site must be worth a fortune! We're set, buddy! No more cold meals, no more junkyard parts _-_ from now on, it's only the best for the two of us!" The man reached for another glass.

Now was the time to make his move, Vader decided. In one smooth motion, he traversed the length of the bar from where he was standing to directly in front of the two companions. It took a moment for either of them to register his presence.

The man spoke first.

"Yeah, what do you want, creep?"

He quickly used the Force to probe the untrained man's mind. __Smuggler, pilot, orphan.__ Judged him as a non-threat. The Wookiee would be easy to deal with as well.

The two were staring.

"I happened to overhear your conversation." He said at last, knowing that no cloak could disguise his distinct voice. Realization appeared on their faces. Vader smirked.

"Those artifacts are not yours. They belong to the Empire, and by extension, _me_." He now decided to unveil himself. The cloak he was wearing fell dramatically to the ground, revealing underneath a mechanical suit of black armor, and a lightsaber at his belt. All at once the cantina went silent. A crowd of onlookers had begun to form.

The man and the Wookiee suddenly became uncomfortably aware of the watching eyes around them.

"The Empire has no jurisdiction here, _Vader._ _"_ The man, _Han_ , spoke, probably trying to put on a brave front.

"You're right." Vader replied matter-of-factly to the shock of everyone watching. "You're going to cooperate fully with me, of your own volition."

He waved a gloved hand in front of the man's face and watched in satisfaction as his eyes glazed over.

"The artifacts are not yours, they belong to the Empire." Vader stated once more.

"The artifacts are not mine, they belong to the Empire." The man slowly echoed.

"Good. Now, you will lead me to where you have hidden them."

The man began walking into the desert. His Wookiee companion simply lowered his head and followed.

* * *

Han knew he was in big trouble when the cloaked stranger had first spoken. Darth Vader, general of the Empire and Sith Lord had somehow found his way onto Jakku, a planet far removed from imperial space. He didn't have time to wonder just what the murderous cyborg was doing here of all places, he just knew that if he and Chewie were to survive the night, he would have to think fast and on his feet. Thankfully, that was something he was good at.

"Those artifacts aren't yours, they belong to the Empire, and by extension, _me_." Vader stated in a deep robotic rumble. The bar went silent as the cyborg removed his disguise, revealing to everyone present his distinctive suit of black armor. A crowd began to form around the three of them as the man spoke. Now Han was worried. This was not how he had envisioned the night going.

He put on his best face, and tried to stall for time.

"The Empire has no jurisdiction here, _Vader._ " A lie. He knew it and Vader knew it as well. The Empire had jurisdiction wherever it chose to. In this galaxy, might was right, and the Empire had plenty of might. Han knew that better than anyone else. Hopefully though, the possibility of angering a sovereign system would give Vader pause. Whatever he was looking for couldn't possibly be worth starting a war over, could it?

Then the cyborg said something that surprised not only Han but every person watching their encounter.

"You're right."

 _You're right?_ Where could he be going with this, Han wondered. The last thing he had expected to hear from the man was that he was right. Could he really be this lucky? Had the Sith Lord gone absolutely insane?

But Vader continued, "You're going to cooperate fully with me, of your own volition."

 _Yeah, definitely insane. As if he'd cooperate._ Great, so now he was dealing with a _crazy_ murderous cyborg. Han cursed his luck.

Vader waved a hand in front of him, and Han instantly felt a pull on the back of his mind.

"Those artifacts are not yours, they belong to the Empire." Vader stated.

The words seemed to multiply themselves in his mind, taking over his thoughts. _Those artifacts are not yours... they belong the Empire._ What? That didn't make any sense, he and Chewie had found the dig site fair and square. _Those artifacts are not yours..._ The hell they aren't! He would be damned if he would let some Empire big shot take what he and Chewie had rightfully earned!

The man in front of him was staring now, apparently expecting a certain reaction. Uhh, shit. What to do, what to do...

"Those artifacts are not mine, they belong to the Empire." He deadpanned. Vader wasn't saying anything. Han waited with bated breath.

"Good," _Phew_ , "Now, you will lead me to where you have hidden them."

Okay, okay. Keep your head in the game, buddy - you can do this. Han gave Chewie a sideward glance. _Just follow my lead._ He began walking out of the bar. The Wookiee lowered his head and followed.


	2. Jakku (Part 2)

As the group of three - Sith, scoundrel and Wookiee - walked across the moonlit desert, Vader allowed himself for the first time to appreciate Jakku's unique beauty. At night, the planet truly came alive. From out of the smallest crevice to beneath the biggest boulder, the creatures of the night began to emerge. A faint breeze could be heard whistling through the canyons and mountain ranges of planet, shaping the very sand dunes they now walked upon. While his cybertronic suit could detect many elements of the environment such as temperature and humidity, it could not fully account for the feeling of the desert breeze on one's skin. Looking at his two prisoners shivering in the cold, he envied them. There was a time when he, too, could be hurt by the environment around him. Now there was only memories.

"How much farther?" He spoke, breaking the silence that had developed around the group.

Han rose a hand and pointed out a cave in the distance. "There." He said plainly.

Vader nodded, and activated his lightsaber, turning his attention now toward the Wookiee.

"You will wait here while we conduct our business." The Wookiee seemed conflicted at first, but slowly nodded his head after a sharing glance with the scoundrel.

Interesting, Vader thought. Perhaps he had underestimated the pair after all. He was curious to see how this would play out.

* * *

Han watched as the Sith Lord bent down and examined an artifact that looked to be some kind of tablet made of stone. There was writing on it, but Han did not recognize the language. Probably some kind of Mandalorian script, he wagered. Somehow he knew that this tablet was exactly what the cyborg had come to this planet looking for, which meant two things. One: whatever was written on that tablet was worth more money that even he wanted to do with, and two: as soon as the Sith Lord was done reading the tablet, he and Chewie would need to be ready to fight.

When the cyborg had told Chewie to wait outside the cave, Han had exchanged a look with the Wookiee, silently signaling him to trail behind after a certain amount of time had elapsed. The sound of shifting gravel behind him told him that his friend had indeed understood the message.

Suddenly Vader began laughing. The inhuman sound sent a chill down Han's spine. The Sith Lord began to turn, lightsaber in hand.

"I really must congratulate the two of you. This is not something that I would expect two smugglers to come across, even by sheer luck. You must have the Force in your line. Sadly, this is where our jou-"

"Now Chewie!" Han shouted.

With a impressive roar, the Wookiee charged out of his hiding spot, bowcaster blasting. But to Han's dismay, Vader deflected each of the Wookiee's blasts with his saber, and with his free hand sent a powerful wave of Force energy their way, knocking them both off their feet.

The cyborg chuckled victoriously. "Did you really think I'd fall for a poorly devised plan like that?" He laughed stepping forward. "I knew that you were faking being under my influence from the moment you agreed to take me here. I sensed your Wookiee friend waiting outside of the cave before even you did. Perhaps such a trick would have worked on a lesser opponent, but unfortunately for you, I am a Sith Lord. Now die."

Vader approached them, and Han smiled.

"That wasn't my plan." He said, causing the cyborg to pause. "This was."

All hell broke lose as he pressed down on the detonation trigger he had kept in his back pocket as a contingency plan in case things ever went south. A explosion from his right sent Vader flying, tablet in hand. Several more explosions erupted from within the cave, and the structure began to collapse.

"You fools!" Vader screamed in fury. The tablet had broken on impact. "Do you know what you've done?"

Waves of power began emanating from the broken artifact. A blinding white light shot out from each individual shard. Vader watched in horror as a raging vortex materialized next to him, sucking in all life and matter.

"Shit!" Han cursed, looking at Chewie. "We've gotta get out of here!" He lifted his friend by the shoulder, and began pulling him out of the collapsing structure. Neither one spared a glance at the doomed Sith Lord behind them.

The world flashed white.

* * *

 _It had been a rough battle. Many soldiers on both sides had been lost, and the air smelled of death._

 _"What troubles you, my Padawan?" His master asked, having sneaked up on the younger man unnoticed._

 _"This war, Obi-Wan. What's the point of it all?"_

 _Obi-Wan gave him a questioning look. "I don't quite understand your question, Anakin."_

 _"I mean, why do we bother fighting it? The Neimodians will never surrender. They'll just keep on fighting us until every last one of them is dead."_

 _Obi-Wan nodded, having finally understood where his Padawan was going with the conversation._

 _"The battle with the dark side is a never-ending one, Anakin. Just as there will always be good, there will always be evil. One cannot exist without the other." He spoke wisely._

 _"You're wrong, Master. We could end this war once and for all. The Republic has the resources. We could wipe out all opposition."_

 _"Yes, we could, but that is not the Jedi way."_

 _"Then I don't understand the Jedi way." The younger man said, gazing at the butchered bodies on the battlefield that surrounded them._

 _Obi-Wan sighed and suddenly seemed to grow ten years older._

 _"You still have much to learn, Anakin."_

* * *

Vader awoke with a shock. His eyes took a moment to adjust themselves to the light, still hazy and weak from having just been unconscious. He was laying on a bed of some kind - a _n extremely uncomfortable bed_. Where was he, he wondered, examining his new surroundings.

All around him he could see rusted out pieces of metal and used droid parts, as though someone had gone through a junkyard picking out at random whatever piece of equipment caught their eye. Across from where he was laying was a stove. A small table had been set up with food on it, and what appeared to be unfinished droid designs sprawled across it. So this was the home of a scavenger, he surmised.

He groaned and felt a shiver run down the length of his spine, his body suddenly felt both sore and cold. _But how is that possible,_ he thought, lifting a hand in front of his face. He stared in reverence at what appeared to be a perfectly healthy and organic human hand before his mind recovered. The machine! It had worked! A true, genuine smile overtook his expression and he shouted out in joy. However, the happy expression was instantly overtaken by a pained one as his damaged body protested at the motion.

Then a bright voice startled him out of his wonderings.

"So I see you're finally awake."

Vader's hand shot for his labersaber out of instinct, but he was immediately reminded as to the extent of the injuries he had sustained, and furthermore was shocked to find that his saber had been removed from its usual spot at his belt.

"Are you looking for this?" The voice, now clearly distinguishable as female, said playfully. "I thought you might be. You were pretty beat up when I found you there passed out in the desert. You know, it's pretty stupid to go wandering about Jakku without any food or water. One might even be inclined to think that you aren't from around here."

The woman now, hardly more than a girl, stepped into view.

"Now tell me, where did you find this?"


End file.
